The Book Club

What can we learn from ancient Greek poetry? A foundational text of Western Civilization—The Iliad by Homer—is one of the oldest pieces of literature still read by modern audiences. Why? Because we recognize ourselves in its timeless themes of war, love, fate, and free will. Ivy League classicist Joshua Katz joins Michael Knowles to discuss this 2,800-year-old poem embodying the human condition.

Christians have been mocked, humiliated, and persecuted for their faith for hundreds of years. The Pilgrim's Progress, written by Puritan preacher John Bunyan while he was in prison for holding religious services, is an encouraging reminder that difficulties and hardships are part and parcel with a life of faith. Allie Stuckey joins Michael Knowles to discuss how this seminal 17th-century work can embolden and strengthen Christians to endure the hardships of today. Donate today to help keep PragerU podcasts and videos free! PragerU.com/donate

Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud—the father of psychoanalysis—explores the perpetual struggle between self and society. Clinical psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry at UCLA Dr. Stephen Marmer joins Michael Knowles for a deep dive into Freud's anti-utopian work that calls for individuals to take responsibility for themselves. Donate today to help keep PragerU podcasts and videos free! PragerU.com/donate

Could anyone have predicted the future of America 200 years ago? Alexis de Tocqueville foresaw a society fraught with materialism and “soft despotism" in his classic study of self-governance, freedom, and equality, Democracy in America. Pete Peterson, Dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, and Michael Knowles discuss what we can learn from de Tocqueville's prophetic words.

What happens if you follow your heart, pursuing love and happiness above all else, devoid of duty or virtue? Nothing good according to Leo Tolstoy, author of Anna Karenina. Inez Stepman, senior policy analyst at Independent Women's Forum, joins Michael Knowles for a deep dive into this great literary work about fidelity, marriage, and betrayal.

The American Revolution led to the birth of a new, free nation, while the French Revolution led to blood and terror. What was the difference and what can we learn from history before it's rewritten or forgotten entirely? Political theorist and Bible scholar Yoram Hazony joins Michael Knowles for a discussion about Edmund Burke's treatise “Reflections on the Revolution in France.”

Something is deeply amiss in contemporary American culture. Young people have lost touch with reality and have become trapped by moral relativism. Is post-modern education to blame? Education expert Max Eden joins Michael Knowles for an eye-opening discussion of Allan Bloom's unexpected bestseller The Closing of the American Mind. Donate today to help keep PragerU podcasts and videos free! PragerU.com/donate

In a world without consequences, are humans naturally good or is there darkness within us all? Lauren Chen sits with Michael Knowles to discuss the classic novel Lord of the Flies about a group of British schoolboys who become stranded on a deserted island. Free to behave however they please, the boys reject societal norms and devolve into depravity. If the human impulse for power and groupthink overtake reason, is there any hope for Western civilization?

Why should Biblical literacy matter today? What happens to society when people fear public opinion more than God? Joining Michael Knowles in this episode of The Book Club is the author of the best-selling Bible commentary in America, Dennis Prager. They discuss the enduring relevance of the Book of Exodus, history's most powerful story of slave liberation—and moral direction from God. Donate today to help keep PragerU podcasts and videos free! PragerU.com/donate

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” Is history repeating itself? Set during the French Revolution, Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities offers parallels to American Society today. PragerU's Allen Estrin joins Michael Knowles on this episode of The Book Club to explore the novel's stark contrasts of fate vs. free will, tyranny and excess, and life and death. Donate today to help keep PragerU podcasts and videos free! PragerU.com/donate

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is one of the most beloved books in literature. In this episode of The Book Club, Michael Knowles and Madeleine Kearns take you through the pages of the Victorian novel to examine the themes of love versus independence, social class and structure, religion, and gender roles. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At Thinkr.org, read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

George Orwell and Aldous Huxley warned of the evils of communism in the pages of 1984 and Brave New World; however, Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon is a lesser-known but impactful novel that describes the horrors of the Stalinist USSR. Michael Knowles and Brad Thompson take you through this powerful literary work. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At Thinkr.org, read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at Thinkr.org.

Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, named by readers in 1991 as the most influential book after the Bible, is a novelized warning about the allure and evils of socialism. What happens when the most productive members in society give up? How much can be asked of them before they do? Who is left to support the rest? Michael Knowles and Eric Daniels take you through Rand's prophetic masterpiece. This episode was made possible by a generous donation from The Objective Standard Institute. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At Thinkr.org, read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at Thinkr.org.

On this episode of The Book Club, Michael Knowles and Farah Jimenez discuss Race and Culture, Thomas Sowell's powerful analysis on why culture has a profound impact on the socioeconomic outcomes of different minority groups. Is systemic racism really to blame? In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at Thinkr.org

What if you could listen in on a conversation between two devils? C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" takes you through letters between Screwtape, a high-ranking demon in the underworld, and his inexperienced nephew, Wormwood, and their plan to deceive man into sin and ultimately hell. Michael Knowles and Seth Dillion of The Babylon Bee discuss Lewis's satirical masterpiece on this episode. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/ Subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

The first science fiction novel ever written (over 200 years ago), Frankenstein is a tragic and cautionary tale about failed humanity, the dangers of scientific knowledge, an overreaching scientist playing “God,” and the universal desire for a sense of belonging. Enjoy this discussion of a gothic classic with Michael Knowles and Gina Bontempo! In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/ Subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

Leo Tolstoy's novella speaks volumes on mortality, conformity, societal expectations, and what it means to live an authentic life. Ivan Ilyich suffers on his deathbed until he is able to fully confront his mortality. This same denial of death and the anguish it causes can be seen in our culture today, brought into focus by the events of 2020. Matt Walsh, host of The Matt Walsh Show, sits down with Michael Knowles to work through Tolstoy's masterpiece of fiction. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/. Subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

Broken families are detrimental to society— it's been proven throughout history. Douglas Murray and Michael Knowles summarize William Shakespeare's tragedy, King Lear, and its themes of power, justice, blindness, and chaos played out through the severed relationship between a father and his children. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/. Subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

Is a life of duty and self-sacrifice noble or ridiculous? What can 21st-century readers take away from Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life, one of the great English novels? Heather Mac Donald joins Michael Knowles for a discussion of George Eliot's comprehensive tale of marriage, idealism, loyalty, and profligacy in a nineteenth-century English town. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Galileo proved that the Earth revolved around the sun and was punished for challenging existing scientific theory. Are we seeing parallels today? Brian Keating and Michael Knowles discuss Galileo's The Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems and how modern scientists still face vilification if they challenge the ideological narrative. Follow Brian Keating on social media! Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating Instagram: https://instagram.com/DrBrianKeating YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 Get his new book, Losing the Nobel Prize, here: http://amzn.to/2sa5UpA In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high. Many Americans believe the Bible is archaic, even irrelevant to the changing culture. In this episode, Bishop Robert Barron and Michael Knowles take you through Genesis, the first book of the Bible, to uncover foundational truths about mankind and human civilization. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Love is an innate desire of every human being, but how do you define it and what is its purpose in relationships? Michael Knowles and Spencer Klavan take you through one of the most collective philosophical texts on love in Western literature: Plato's The Symposium. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/.

A man who has nothing left to lose is led through hell, purgatory, and heaven in this incomparable masterpiece. Dante scholar Catherine Illingworth joins Michael Knowles to discuss his favorite work of art ever composed: Dante's Divine Comedy. Subscribe so you never miss a new episode!

What is the key to racial reconciliation in our nation? Dr. Carol Swain joins Michael Knowles on this month's episode of The Book Club to examine the life of Booker T. Washington, a former slave turned educator, as seen through the lens of his autobiography Up From Slavery. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

George Orwell's novel, 1984, portrays a dystopian world where Big Brother reigns supreme. Today, however, Orwell's warning against totalitarianism reads more like a newspaper than a work of fiction. Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report, joins Michael Knowles to dissect the pages of this classic work. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Sen. Ted Cruz joins Michael Knowles this month for a very special episode of The Book Club! They discuss Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel Brave New World and why it is an indictment of tyranny and totalitarianism. Don't miss it. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

How do you find meaning in a world filled with cruelty? Michael Knowles and Larry Elder discuss the universal search for unconditional love as seen in the pages of W. Somerset Maugham's fictional novel, Of Human Bondage. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Do you understand the Constitution? What makes America different? Ben Shapiro joins Michael Knowles to discuss The Federalist Papers, a collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. They discuss the founders' vision for a limited government that protects the God-given rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At https://thinkr.org/ they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Thinkers from Karl Marx to Noam Chomsky have shaped political thought and transformed societies. In this episode of The Book Club, Michael Knowles and PragerU's executive director, Allen Estrin, discuss Intellectuals by Paul Johnson and how the book highlights both the brilliance and dangers of intellectuals' impact on humanity. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At https://thinkr.org/ they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at https://thinkr.org/

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most famous and most beloved romantic novels of all time. In this episode of The Book Club, Michael Knowles and Abigail Shrier explore the themes of love, virtue, and social hierarchy discovered in the pages of Jane Austen's classic work. Tune in!

William Shakespeare's Hamlet is the greatest play ever written. In this episode of The Book Club, Michael Knowles and Andrew Klavan discuss the themes of this classic work — inaction, appearance versus reality, doubt and truth — and how they mirror modern society. Pick up a copy and join us for this impactful episode. In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at Thinkr.org To hear more of Michael, check out the Michael Knowles Show podcast: apple.co/2tSTNyY

What is mankind's greatest pursuit? In the world premiere of The Book Club, Michael Knowles and Dennis Prager take you through psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's moving memoir of life in a Nazi death camp, and how this experience shaped his thinking. Man's Search for Meaning explores human suffering, hope, and the pursuit of purpose in one of the darkest moments in history. Don't miss it! In our fast-paced world, it's tough to make reading a priority. At least it used to be. At Thinkr.org, they summarize the key ideas from new and noteworthy nonfiction, giving you access to an entire library of great books in bite-size form. Read or listen to hundreds of titles in a matter of minutes: start your free trial today at Thinkr.org. To hear more of Michael, check out the Michael Knowles Show podcast: https://apple.co/2tSTNyY